Rail-joint.



H. S. WIKEL.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 2s, 1914.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

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H. S. WIKEL RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1914.

1', 1 1 1,630, Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

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To all whom it may concern:

` HENRY s. WIKEL, or YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-J' 01N T.

i `Be it known thatI, HENRY S. WIKEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have inventedfnew and useful' Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the followingisa specification. c

The present invention relates to means for connecting` the meeting ends of two railway rails in such a( manner as to reinforce the rails at the joint, as well as"to prevent the tilting, sagging, or creeping `of the joint. I attain these objects, and otherswhich will appear as the nature ofthe invention is more fully understood bythe construction, combination and arrangement of parts disclosed by the accompanying drawings, `set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

The drawings illustrate a simple and satisfactory reduction of the improvement to practice, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so the showing is to be considered `'merely illustrative and I am not to be restricted to the precise details of construction set forth therein.

In the lsaid drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating two rails connected in accordance with the present invention, Fig.

y2 is a top plan viewofthe same, Fig. 3 is a bottom plan. View of the same,fFig. .4l is a transverse sectional view-on the line 1 -4 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a detaill sectional view through the bolt provided to engage the webs at the meeting Tends of the rails, the fish plate or rail chair being broken away,

Fig. 6 is a` view looking toward the inner face of one of the chair members, Fig. 7 is a sideview of a modified form kof the joint, Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the same, and Fig. y9 `is a view looking toward the inner face of one of the rail chair sections. c

When a train travels upon a track between the jointsinv the rails the revolving of the wheels upon the rails has a tendency to slide the said rails, and as a consequence the joint plates are under constant vibration,

and as a result, the securing nuts `and bolts become loosened and the plates disconnected from the rails.` The rails, under such conditions, are liable to be `pulled one away from the other, and'it 'is not infrequent that such a movement, causes one of the rails to be either depressed or elevated above the second rail, so that the rail ends at the joint Specification of Letters Patent. `Application filed. January 28, 1914. Serial N o. 815,039.

` Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

are not flush which causes the wheels of the rolling stock to contact with the abrupt projectmg rail end, inflicting injury not only to the rail end, but also to the wheels of the rolling stoc It is my purpose to construct a joint which will effectively overcome the above defects, as well as the liability of the tilting or inclination of the rails at the joint, and 1n the accompanying drawings, I have shown two rails, designated by the numerals R-R, connected in accordance with my invention.

In constructingmy joint I employ a chair which is made up of two sections or members, which are of a similar construction, and each being designated by the numeral 1. The joint chair is of a length suflicient to receive at least four of the ties T, and each of the sections includes va base 2 which is horizontally straight and which is adapted to receive the base flanges of the rails R. Each of the base members 2 is provided at its inner edge with a downturned flange 8, the same extending the entire length of the member l, and the base 2 of each of the said members l at a suitable distance from its outer longitudinal edge is formed with a vertically projecting wall 4 Vwhich joins the outer terminal of an angular flange 5 .which overliesy the base flange of the rails R, the said overlying flange 5 terminating in a vertical plate or wall 6. The wall 6 has its central portion, for the major portion of its length, horizontally straight, and adapted to underlie and support the heads of the rails R, while the said upper edge from the central portion thereof isinclined in opposite directions to the ends of the vertical plate, as clearly shown in the drawings. The inner upper edge of the plate 6 is provided with a bead 7 which follows the shape of the upper edge of the said plate and which abuts with the webs of the rails, while each of the said plates 6 at its connection with'the overlying flange 5 is formed with a second bead 8 which extends the entire length of the plate and which abuts with the rails at the juncture of their base flanges and webs. As the bead V7 greatly `enlarges the width of the plate 6 at the upper edge thereof I have found it desirable to bevel the outer edge at the corner of the said upper plate, the said beveled portion being indicating by the numeral 9, and by cutting awaythemetal at this point, a de- ASired amount of resiliency is afforded the readily be understood.

ed for the reception of the usual securing bolts 10 which pass through registeringl openings in the webs 11 of the rails, the threaded ends of the said bolts receiving the usual securing nuts 12. I have also found it desirable to notch the meetingends of the rails centrally of the webs thereof, as indicated by the numerals 13, the said notches,

` when brought into register, providing a rectangular opening which registers with a similar opening 14 in each of the vertical members or platesl 6 of the rail chair sec'- tions 1.

The numeral 15 designates a bolt having a rectangular shank and a rounded threaded extension, the same corresponding to the shape of the registering notches 13 and contacting with the Walls thereof when the said bolt is inserted through the openings l14. The threaded extension of the shank is fen- 'gaged by a nut 16, which isv of a size sufficient to fully close the openings 14 upon the side of the plate with which it contacts.

The projecting edges and the corner of the said projections are beveled or rounded, as at 18, to correspond with the underfaces of the spikes 19 which engage therewith and which enter the ties T. l

vThe vertical downwardly extending flanges 3 terminate a suitable distance apart, and these flanges 3 are arranged upon the base members 2 at suitable spaced intervals, three of the said flanges being shown, in the present instance, upon each of the rail chair members, the distance between the said flanges 3 being equal to the width of the ties T, so that the ends ofthe said flanges 3 will contact with theY said sides of the ties, and the end flanges 3 terminate a distance slightly less than the width ofthe ties upon which the ends of the said chair rest. The flanges 3 of the sections l1 are provided with registering openings for the reception. of securing elements in the nature ofbolts 2O and nuts 21 therefor. The extensions 17 at the ends of the joint chair sections are provided with extensions or ears 21, the` same being provided with suitable openings for the reception of securing elements 22 which enter the ties upon which the ends of the joint chair Ais supported. VThese'ears 22 perform a func` tion yin combination with the flanges v3, which, as stated, engage with the opposite sides of the ties, that is one ofthe essential features of the present invention, the same being to absorb or cause 'the joint to with-v stand the initial force of impact or stress from thewheels of the rolling stock contacting with therail before the same passes over the joint' or over the chair and so a joint constructed in accordance with my invention effectively overcomes such a 4movement of the rails, as the jomtcannot be moved nor can either of the rails connected therewithl be moved longitudinally withoutfmoving the ties T, and the said 'ties being embedded to overcome sucha movement. The vpla-tes 6 are in the nature of strut braces, and the heads of the vrails bearing uponthe central portions thereof and directlyover the beads 7, the said plates aEord a desired amount of y resiliency or flexibilityso that the rolling stock 'will not inflictrinjury to the meeting ends of the rails or to the j oint."

In Figs. 7,`8"andf91`have illustrated a slightly modified form'ofthe joint. In these figures the members 1', whichlcomprise the joint chair, vhave their base portions land rwith-in theroadbed afford ample resistance their ends similar .to the construction just .1. i

described, the base members 2 being v also provided with the vertical flange 4e', having the overlying flange 5 and the vertically eX- tending side or plate 6. The sides or plates 6 have their upper Vedges enlarged, as indi-y l beveled or inclined to correspond with the j shape of the underfaces vof the rails which rest upon the said portions 50.4 l' The plates 6 at their juncture with the. overlying flanges 5 are formed upontheir inner facesl with beads 51, corresponding with the beads 8. and Ixhave also found it desirable tov provide the .said inner faces .of the plate 6" with centrally longitudinally extending inturned members or beads 52. f The vsecuring elements for the base are inthe nature of j spikes, the said base and its end extending members 21v being arranged upon ties ina si-milanmanner and secured upon the `said ties as previously setforth. The plates 6 are' provided with transverse openings which A may intersect the beads 52 or whichmay be arranged in the channeledface ofthe plate 6 between the upper and lower beads, .the said openings registering with'similar openings inthe webs of the rails and being provided with the ordinary bolts andnuts there' for.

From .the aboveI description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,-

the simplicityv ofthe device as well as the advantages thereof; will, itis thought, be perfectly apparent to those Iskilled inthe artto which such invention appertains'lwithout further detailed description.

jHaving thus described the invention, what Iclaim is; '1i Incombina-ti'on withf'the meetingendsof .two rails and a plurality of ties for the rails, of a joint chair yfor connecting the rail ends, said chairl comprising two companion sections, each of'which includes a base upon which the railsfrest, the inner edge of each of the base portions having a plurality of downturned fianges of a length to be received between the ties and to contact with the sides of the ties, means for connecting the said flanges, each of the chair members also including an inturned angular flange Awhich overlies the base flanges of the rails, and a vertical plate which is integrally formed with the overlying flange, said plate having its upper edge for the major portionof its length of a height to engage beneath the heads of the rails, and the said plate being inclined from the said central portion to its ends, means for securing rthe'plates to the webs of the rails, means- `for securing the chair sections to the ties,

each of the chair sections having its longitudinal edge, at its ends, provided with an outwardly extending ear, and means for securing the said ears tothe end ties for the joint chair.

2. In combination with the meeting ends of two rails and a plurality of ties-for the rails, of a chair connecting the rail ends, said chair comprising two companion members, each of which including a base upon i which the rails rest, the inner longitudinal edge of the base having spaced downturned flanges which are adapted to be arranged between the ties and to contact with the sides of the tie, means for connecting the flanges, the base members, at a dist-ance from their longitudinal edges having 1nturned flanges which overlie the base flanges of the rails, the said longitudinal edges at the ends of the chair sections being formed with outwardly extending flat members, means for securing the said flat members to the end ties uponwhich the chair rests, means co-acting with the longitudinal edges of the chair sections for securing the same to the intermediate tie, the overlying flange of each of the sections being integrally formed with a vertical plate which is adapted to abut with the opposite faces of the webs of the rails, each of the said plates, for

i the major portion of its length, having its upper edge of a height to underlie the heads of the rails, and the said plate being in- Copies of this patent may be obtained for `clined from the said central portion to its ends, the inner face of the plate at its said upper edge being formed with a continuous bead which corresponds with the shape of the said upper edge and which extends inwardlyv of the plate a distance approximately equaling the distance between the outer longitudinal edges of the heads and the webs of the rails, the lower inner faces of the plates at their juncture with the overlying flanges being provided with longitudinally extending beads, and means intermediate the beads for securing the plates to the websof the rail.

3. In combination with the meeting ends of two rails and a .plurality of ties for the rails, of a chair for securing the rail ends, said chair comprising a pair of companion sections, each including a base upon which the rails rest, and each of the said base portions being of a less width than one-half of the thickness of the base portions of the rails, the inner longitudinal edges of the said base portions of the chair having a plurality of downturned flanges which are adapted to fit between the ties and to engage with the sides of the ties, overlying flanges connected adjacent the outer longitudinal `edges of they bases and overlying lthe base flange of the rails, the said outer edges of the base members at the ends of the chair having laterally extending plates which rest upon the end ties of the chair, means for securing the said members to the said end ties, means contacting with the outer longitudinal edges of the base member for securing the chair to the intermediate ties, vertical plates formed with the overlying flanges,

of the said plates being provided with a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending beads which contact with the webs of the rails, and means for securing the said plates to the webs of the rails,

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY S. WIKEL.

Witnesses:

MARGARETTA WILEY, J. T. ATKINS.`

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, I). C. 

